What Does すごい (Sugoi) Mean in Japanese?

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Learn how to use “sugoi” and its variations
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Whether you love anime or are just interested in Japanese slang, you’ve probably heard the word “sugoi.” It means “wow” or “amazing” and is most often used as a compliment or exclamation, but originally had a negative connotation, meaning “dreadful.” Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about “sugoi” in Japanese, including the pronunciation and variations of the term.

What does “sugoi” mean in Japanese?

“Sugoi” is a Japanese word that can mean “wow,” “amazing,” “that’s great,” or “I’m impressed.” It can appear on its own as an exclamation or as an adjective that describes people, objects, or events. “Sugoi” can also mean “wonderful,” “tremendous,” or “fantastic” when you’re feeling awestruck or excited.

Section 1 of 6:

What does “sugoi” mean in Japanese

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  1. 1
    “Sugoi” means “amazing,” “great,” or “wow” in Japanese. It’s an exclamation with multiple meanings that can also indicate that you’re impressed with someone or something. Other meanings for “sugoi” include “wonderful,” “tremendous,” or “fantastic.” Use “sugoi” whenever feeling awestruck, overwhelmed, or excited.
    • It also means “awesome” or “cool” and is similar to saying “that’s amazing” or “how cool” in English.
  2. 2
    “Sugoi” (すごい) originally meant “petrifying.” Within the Japanese system of writing called kanji, “sugoi” is represented by 凄い. The first character 冫means “ice,” while 妻 means “wife.” If you trace its etymology, “sugoi” was first used to describe a “chilling” event and was considered a negative way to describe something; it’s similar to describing things as “crazy” in English, such as “It’s crazy loud in here.” [1]
    • For example, “What a sugoi tsunami. It did tons of damage.”
    • “That math test was super sugoi. It was so hard!”
    • “It’s sugoi scary in there. What a cool haunted house.”
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Section 2 of 6:

How to Pronounce “Sugoi” in Japanese

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  1. “Sugoi” (すごい) is pronounced “Soo-GOH-ee” in Japanese. Su is pronounced “soo,” as in “super.” Then, “go” is pronounced “goh” as in “goat.” The “i” is pronounced “ee.” [2]
Section 3 of 6:

How to Use “Sugoi”

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  1. 1
    Use “sugoi” as an exclamation to say “wow.” It can be used when you’re surprised, amazed, or in awe about something or someone. “Sugoi” can mean “that’s incredible” when describing a feat, object, or event. [3]
    • It’s most commonly used as an interjection in Japanese anime or on TV in Japan. Fans of anime and Japanese pop culture in general know that people who say “sugoi” on TV or in anime usually emphasize the “o” in the last syllable. Instead of saying “sugoi,” they say, “sugoooooooooooi!”
  2. 2
    “Sugoi” can emphasize the word it refers to. It’s used as an intensifying adjective, similarly to how the words “so” or “very” are used in English. Something can be “sugoi” good or “sugoi” delicious. You can call things “sugoi,” as well as people.
    • While sugoi is often integrated into English among anime or manga fans, it’s more traditionally used in Japanese . The provided examples present how “sugoi” would appear within an English sentence in place of words like “awesome,” “amazing,” or “wow.”
      • “Neko is such a sugoi girl! She’s the best.”
      • “Your purse is sugoi cute! Where can I find it?”
      • “I’m sugoi tired today. I can’t figure out why since I slept fine.”
      • “The little town is sugoi quaint! You need to visit.”
      • “My mom is being sugoi mean right now. I wish she'd stop nagging.”
  3. 3
    “Sugoi” is also sometimes used as a compliment. For example, someone might say, “Sugoi! You’re such a talented ballet dancer.” “Sugoi—what a gorgeous baby!” or “You’re so smart. Sugoi!”
    • Some people believe that “sugoi” shouldn’t be used on its own to give a compliment . They prefer that other alternatives are used, like other expressions like "subarashii" (すばらしい), meaning “wonderful,” "ii ne" (いいね), meaning “good” or “nice,” or "kakko ii" (かっこいい), meaning “cool.”
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Section 4 of 6:

“Sugoi” Variations

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  1. 1
    Sugē (す げ) “Sugē” is an informal or colloquial version of “sugoi.” Younger people tend to use it more, and it wouldn’t be appropriate in a formal or professional setting. [4]
  2. 2
    Sugoi ne (すごい ね) “Sugoi ne” means “that’s amazing.” It can also mean “that’s great” or translate to “it’s amazing” or “it’s great.” It’s made up of “sugoi,” meaning “that’s/it’s amazing” or “that’s/it’s great,” and “ne,” which is used at the end of a sentence or thought to mean “isn’t it?” “Sugoi ne” is a way to directly refer to the amazing thing you're commenting on.
    • “I love your outfit. Sugoi ne!”
  3. 3
    Sugoi desu (すごいですね) “Sugoi desu” is a more polite way of saying “that’s amazing” or “that’s great.” [5] “Sugoi” means “awesome” or “amazing,” while “desu” means “to be” or “it is.” You might use “sugoi desu” when speaking to a family member, teacher, or someone older than you.
    • “Mrs. Ito, your garden is sugoi desu.”
    • If you say “Sugoi desu ne,” you get a similar meaning. “Desu ne” is often added to the end of a sentence to express, “isn’t it?”
  4. 4
    Sugoi dekai (すごい で会) “Sugoi dekai” simply means “amazing.” It appears as an exclamation when you want to call something “awesome.” “Dekai” means “big,” so it technically translates to “awesomely big.”
    • In the Japanese manga series Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! , the title character of Hana Uzaki wears a t-shirt that reads “sugoi dekai,” meaning “super big.” [6]
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Section 5 of 6:

Is “sugoi” good or bad?

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  1. 1
    “Sugoi” can be a positive or a negative word in Japanese. It was originally used to mean something negative, as in “petrifying,” “ghastly,” or “dreadful.” Modern Japanese youth use “sugoi” as a positive word meaning “wow,” “impressive,” or “awesome.” How you use “sugoi” depends on the context, but it’s a kind of slang that is similar to the English use of “sick” to mean something positive, as in “That concert was sick!” [7]
    • As a positive: “Sugoi! You passed your test with flying colors!”
    • As a negative : “Sugoi–I hate it when it rains all day.”
  2. 2
    The meaning of “sugoi” depends on the context. If you’re surprised at something and say “sugoi,” its meaning is closest to “wow.” When you use it to express awe or how impressed you are, “sugoi” means “how impressive” or “that’s amazing.”
    • “Sugoi! I didn’t know you knew how to paint so well!” Here, “sugoi” translates to “wow!”
    • “Sugoi—what a beautiful car!” In this example, “sugoi” means “amazing.”
    • “You got into the #1 college on your list? Sugoi!” Here, “sugoi” translates to “how impressive!”
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Section 6 of 6:

More Japanese Words and Phrases

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  1. Are you interested in learning more Japanese words and phrases? We can help with articles that provide translations and language-learning tips! Check them out below:

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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.tanoshiijapanese.com/dictionary/entry_details.cfm?entry_id=35961&j=sugoi
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/kZ4ILqkLxCI?si=3_fqatN59n6L3h80&t=29
      3. ↑ https://japandaily.jp/sugoi-the-power-of-the-word-sugoi-in-japanese/
      4. ↑ https://www.japanesepod101.com/blog/2010/11/25/top-5-phrases-your-teacher-will-never-teach-you/
      5. ↑ https://www.japaneseverbconjugator.com/VerbalAdjectiveDetails.asp?ID=36&Adjective=sugoi#google_vignette
      6. ↑ https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/sugoi-dekai
      7. ↑ https://japandaily.jp/sugoi-the-power-of-the-word-sugoi-in-japanese/

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